In that historic trip, he met with prominent Shia cleric Ayatollah Seyed Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf.

One of the places he toured during the visit to Iraq was the ancient city of Ur, a Sumerian city that dates back 6,000 years and is traditionally held to be the birthplace of Prophet Abraham (AS).

In that visit, Pope Francis recited a common prayer of the Abrahamic religions titled “Prayer of Children of Abraham”. After that he listened to recitation of the Quran by renowned Iraqi qari Osama al-Karbalayi.

Following is Al-Karbalayi’s recitation of verses 40 and 41 of Surah Ibrahim of the Holy Quran on that day:

“My Lord! make me keep up prayer and from my offspring (too), O our Lord, and accept my prayer. O our Lord! grant me protection and my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning shall come to pass!”

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